Arch-support.



PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907. D. LIVIGNANO. ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1906.

[ZZZ/5222271.

0W oc m 7% 723% ymw M UNITED STA TE s PATENT OFFICE. DNA LIVIGNIFNaDFFIIIE FLAND, OHIO.

ARCH-SUPPORT- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

To all w/mm, zit may concern: Beit known that I, DNA LIVIGNANO, a

citizenof the United States, residing at, Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and l State of Ohio, have invented a certain new I and useful Improvement in Arch-Supports, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. l My invention relates to shoes and has for l its object to provide for the same a sin1ple,inl expensive, comfortable but ellicient brace or support for the arch of the foot of the wearer. l As is well known, it frequently happens that one or more of the ligaments extending rearwardly from the toes become weakened or stretched, causing the arch of the foot to break down. It has been proposed to cure this by providing metallic archsup1=orts, l which may be placed in shoes, but these are generally so constructed as to retain moisture in the covering thereof, which moisture tends to soften the ligaments and thus aggravate the very fault the supports should correct. Z All such supports are heavy, expensive and l are more or less uncomfortable to the wearer.

may be easily applied to .or built into shoes as ordinarily constructed as a part thereof. I accomplish these results by the construction illustrated in the drawings forming a part hereof, wherein Figure 1 represcnts a perspective view of a shoe having my invention applied thereto. 1 Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through I the instep portion of said shoe, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the support detached from l the shoe. l

In the drawings, 1 represents the shoe proper, the same comprising the upper 2, sole 3, and welt 4. 5 denotes the instep shank, and 6 the insole. (.r the inner side of the instep there is secured my arch support I 7. The lower edge of this support is secured adjacent to the sole, being preferably inserted between the upper and the insole and 1 secured in place by-any convenient means, as l The upper edge of'the support 7 the upper at this point and is provided at its upper edge I vith a reinforcing strip 8 and with eyelets9 extending through said strip and the body of the support. These eyelets are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the eyelets 10 in the upper of the shoe,

wit-h the rearmost eyelet upper. To 7 provide suflicient supporting surface for the arch and to afford comfort to the wearer, the front aiid rear edges of the support 7 are curved, and the rear edge prosupport.

As will pear from Fig. 2, the support 7 is of less heig t than the corresponding portion of the upper, whereby the action of lacing the shoe wili cause the support to be drawn a into engagement with the arch of the-foot and form a support therefor, even should the upper be full enough to cause the lacin to draw the opposite edges 11 thereof toget er. Moreover, the support 7, being of comparatively short length, will readily conform to the arch of the foot, forming an effective support therefor. The support being of leather, will absorb any moisture, which will be quickly dried, owlng to the exposure of the outer sur- Inovement of the shoe and foot in walking, thus enabling it to effect a cure of the defect in the wearers foot. At the same time, the pliability and adaptability of the material of which the support is made insures comfort to the wearer.

In addition to its use for su porting broken down or Weak arches of the oot, my arch support is of value in shoes for children learnin.

proper position.

aving thus described my invention, I C aim:

1. In a shoe, the combination of the sole and upper. of an arch support composed of pliable mattrial having the lower portion thereof suitably secured to the shoe adjacent the sole and having its upper portion prowith lacing holes, said holes being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the distance between the lacing holes in the upproper 16 in the per, the depth of said support being less than the depth of the corresponding portion of the upper, substantially as specified.

2. In a shoe, the combination of the sole and upper, of an arch support of pliable material having its lower portion suitably secured adjacent the instep portion of the sole and having its upper edge inclined to correspond to the inclination of the upper edge of the upper, said support being rovided adjacent its upper edge with lacing holes spaced equidistant with the lacing holes in the upper, said support being of less-depth than the adjacent portion of the upper.

3. In a shoe, the combination of the sole and upper, of an arch support of pliable material having its lower portion suitably secured acent the sole and its upper portion provided with lacing holes corresponding in position to the lacing holes in the corresponding portion of the upper, said support having the body portion thereof extended beyond the -to and bottom portions thereof. substantia ly as specified.

4. An arch support for shoes comprising a 2 body of leather or similar pliable material adapted for application to the instep portion of a shoe and having a bottom portion adapted to be suitably secured to a shoe and an upper edge portion inclined to correspond to the inclination of the upper edge of the lacing portion of the upper and provided with la;- ing holes, the front and rear edges of the support being curved and the rear edge projecting rearwardly beyond the top and botto'n'l edges thereof, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

DNA LIVIGNANO.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. BATES. W. L. MCGARRELL. 

